My mate strapped me into set of pipes last night. Well, when I say strapped, I really mean tied. My girth being much greater than his, he had to lengthen the waist strap with string. I lasted about 3 minutes before screaming to be cut loose. How on earth you piper people manage to get such a lovely sound out of those things is utterly beyond me. Fair play to you all, and thanks.
So now you know, Jim, when someone says to you:
"Sorry, I´m tied up this weekend" he could be into bondage, be an uillean piper or just busy - or all three!
Yes, quite a feat of co-ordination when in full swing, what with the elbow controlling the air supply, fingers of both hands making the notes, the wrist playing the regulators, and both hands lifting the chanter off and onto the knee pad to change the octave - all the while being tied up and whipped into playing a set of reels!
Its an octopus, I'll tell you!!!! And don't forget trying to hit the second octave without screwing up. Oh, did you want ornamentation with that as well????Now you understand the seven years learning, seven years practicing, etc...
"Changing the octave" - similar thing to changing the octave on a whistle when you blow harder (up an octave) - but I think on the pipes it only applies to the "D" note - pipers, am I right?
chanter on knee and then you get to over pressure the bag to get e, f#, g, a, b. c# needs a key on the back and I can't get to ( nor tried to get to the 2nd octave d. You lift the chanter off the knee to get bottom D or that real "hard D" or when you are playing "open" to get volume or do some techinical things like a bark.
Hopefully I explained it ok. If not, uh someone else want to take a try. Its a gotta see it done at least once. Try over at the chiff and fipple uilleann pipes board and ask ask there as well.
I sometimes lift the chanter off the knee for other notes also to "swell" them - esp, during airs. And don't forget popping the upper octave too. But now we're just confusing the poor folks.
The chanter comes off the knee for bottom D whether it's hard or soft. Hard bottom D is achieved by cutting the A note while lifting the chanter. You can play other notes with the chanter off the knee for tonal coloring and other effects.
2nd octave notes are obtained by a slight increase in bag pressure. The 2nd octave c natural note needs a key. 2nd octave c# uses the convention fingering. 2nd octave d, called back d, does not require over-blowing the reed at all. If anything, care must be taken not to over pressure this note lest the note sound out of tune. Obtaining 3rd octave d seems to depend on the reed, but there's not much need for it in my experience. Some pipe-makers will install a 3rd octave d key on the chanter if requested. My newest chanter - coming next week will have 5 keys: c natural, f natural, g#, Bb, and 3rd octave d.
So Bill- whose chanter are you getting??? My back D is flat then comes back up slightly-need to see my local reed guru for help.
Jeff-I tried to write that down where you bring the chanter off the knee and lift the finger and then stopping it as the note peaked and got all messed up.
The chanter is part of a new concert pitch Childress full set. I'm thinking that this will be the last set that I buy and splurged a little on extra keys and plating, etc.
In the past, I've found that too much pressure will make my back d come in flat. I had to learn to back off the pressure when crossing the octaves. Also, opening the reed up a bit seems to help somewhat.
One thing that helped a bit with my sinking/breaking back d was trimming the lips of the reed just a little bit and leaving them on the thick side by not sanding them. Effectively shortening the reed in this fashion sharpened a couple of notes on my chanter which I brought back into correct tuning by applying a little poster putty the inside of the the top of the tone holes of that note. Note that cutting on one's reed is a permanent change that can't be undone and you run the risk of ruining it.
My experience may have been due to more luck than skill, but I've enjoyed great stability on my pipes since then. Now I know that when I play a wonky note it's because I did it and not the fault of the chanter reed. Oh, no! I left myself without an excuse for playing badly!!!
OOOH sounds like a nice set.
I had thought of cutting the lips a bit, reading from Denis Brooks' tome, but the reed works so I'll let the experts do it. The reed could be closed down a touch, but again, it works so I'm not messinng with the bridle.
I'd love to get a 3/4 or full C set -the B&K that was listing for $8K come to mind, but not to wallet.
Post pictures on C&F when you get it.
Fel
Bagpipes in general hardest insturments invented GHBs were the ONLY insturment I could not teach my self on and I am dreding trying to find an Uillleann Pipe instructor (it is one of my next insturments to learn).
Me hat's completely off to pipers
Me hat's completely off to pipers
My mate strapped me into set of pipes last night. Well, when I say strapped, I really mean tied. My girth being much greater than his, he had to lengthen the waist strap with string. I lasted about 3 minutes before screaming to be cut loose. How on earth you piper people manage to get such a lovely sound out of those things is utterly beyond me. Fair play to you all, and thanks.
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Jim Williams
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
So now you know, Jim, when someone says to you:
"Sorry, I´m tied up this weekend" he could be into bondage, be an uillean piper or just busy - or all three!
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by murfbox
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
Yes, quite a feat of co-ordination when in full swing, what with the elbow controlling the air supply, fingers of both hands making the notes, the wrist playing the regulators, and both hands lifting the chanter off and onto the knee pad to change the octave - all the while being tied up and whipped into playing a set of reels!
Jim
# Posted on April 3rd 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
Its an octopus, I'll tell you!!!! And don't forget trying to hit the second octave without screwing up. Oh, did you want ornamentation with that as well????Now you understand the seven years learning, seven years practicing, etc...
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by I_Fel
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
"lifting the chanter off and onto the knee pad to change the octave"
Huh? I didn't know about that. Can someone explain that a little better?
Thanks!
-Max
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by Max Becher
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
"Changing the octave" - similar thing to changing the octave on a whistle when you blow harder (up an octave) - but I think on the pipes it only applies to the "D" note - pipers, am I right?
Jim
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by Worldfiddler
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
chanter on knee and then you get to over pressure the bag to get e, f#, g, a, b. c# needs a key on the back and I can't get to ( nor tried to get to the 2nd octave d. You lift the chanter off the knee to get bottom D or that real "hard D" or when you are playing "open" to get volume or do some techinical things like a bark.
Hopefully I explained it ok. If not, uh someone else want to take a try. Its a gotta see it done at least once. Try over at the chiff and fipple uilleann pipes board and ask ask there as well.
# Posted on April 4th 2004 by I_Fel
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
I sometimes lift the chanter off the knee for other notes also to "swell" them - esp, during airs. And don't forget popping the upper octave too. But now we're just confusing the poor folks.
Jeff
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by anima
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
The chanter comes off the knee for bottom D whether it's hard or soft. Hard bottom D is achieved by cutting the A note while lifting the chanter. You can play other notes with the chanter off the knee for tonal coloring and other effects.
2nd octave notes are obtained by a slight increase in bag pressure. The 2nd octave c natural note needs a key. 2nd octave c# uses the convention fingering. 2nd octave d, called back d, does not require over-blowing the reed at all. If anything, care must be taken not to over pressure this note lest the note sound out of tune. Obtaining 3rd octave d seems to depend on the reed, but there's not much need for it in my experience. Some pipe-makers will install a 3rd octave d key on the chanter if requested. My newest chanter - coming next week will have 5 keys: c natural, f natural, g#, Bb, and 3rd octave d.
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by Bill Reeder
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
So Bill- whose chanter are you getting??? My back D is flat then comes back up slightly-need to see my local reed guru for help.
Jeff-I tried to write that down where you bring the chanter off the knee and lift the finger and then stopping it as the note peaked and got all messed up.
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by I_Fel
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
The chanter is part of a new concert pitch Childress full set. I'm thinking that this will be the last set that I buy and splurged a little on extra keys and plating, etc.
In the past, I've found that too much pressure will make my back d come in flat. I had to learn to back off the pressure when crossing the octaves. Also, opening the reed up a bit seems to help somewhat.
One thing that helped a bit with my sinking/breaking back d was trimming the lips of the reed just a little bit and leaving them on the thick side by not sanding them. Effectively shortening the reed in this fashion sharpened a couple of notes on my chanter which I brought back into correct tuning by applying a little poster putty the inside of the the top of the tone holes of that note. Note that cutting on one's reed is a permanent change that can't be undone and you run the risk of ruining it.
My experience may have been due to more luck than skill, but I've enjoyed great stability on my pipes since then. Now I know that when I play a wonky note it's because I did it and not the fault of the chanter reed. Oh, no! I left myself without an excuse for playing badly!!!
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by Bill Reeder
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
OOOH sounds like a nice set.
I had thought of cutting the lips a bit, reading from Denis Brooks' tome, but the reed works so I'll let the experts do it. The reed could be closed down a touch, but again, it works so I'm not messinng with the bridle.
I'd love to get a 3/4 or full C set -the B&K that was listing for $8K come to mind, but not to wallet.
Post pictures on C&F when you get it.
Fel
# Posted on April 5th 2004 by I_Fel
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
I feel the same way about the fiddle. Like it but it's about the most alien thing I've ever tried to play.
# Posted on April 6th 2004 by Hanley
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
I can't wait. I really want Seth to HURRY IT UP.
Johnathan
# Posted on April 6th 2004 by Harper_Lad
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
I object to naming the fiddle the most alien thing to play.
It's aisy. :p
Fidil go bragh.
-Pádraig an fhidil
# Posted on April 6th 2004 by Pádraig
Re: Me hat's completely off to pipers
Bagpipes in general hardest insturments invented GHBs were the ONLY insturment I could not teach my self on and I am dreding trying to find an Uillleann Pipe instructor (it is one of my next insturments to learn).
# Posted on April 7th 2004 by Unseen122